The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-12-01
EXPERIMENTS m HYPNOTIsN.
Strange Doings of the Doctors in Paris,
Startling Mental Phenomena.


Startling Mental Phenomena.
DR.. Luys recently made a communica-
ton to the Academy OF Medicine on this
subject which electrified the members
present. 1t was on the action. both at a
distance and by direct contact, of certain
,aedicated and fermented substances on
hypnotic subjects. The latter were all
women who could not possibly have got
their cue beforehand, and were being OBJ
served while DIR. Luys operated by a jury
OF scientists above All suspicion of having
lent themselves to any trickery. A tube
in onc instance was filled with sulphate
Of strychnine by DR.. Luys, and the sub.
Iect, who was not present, was told to
put ii TO the left side OF the nape of her
neck. Soon after there was telephone
-'4 7oSe from the foreman Of the jury to
SaY ,bat The patient suffered in the left
efde nom muscular cOntracti0ns, convuls-
I've etarts and rigid body. When the
crua Was placed en- the right side of the
nat. il imagination) the same pheuom-
.-3u to0o place.
An experiment, or rather experiments,
Wa made on subjects who were bsoGght
n ta the operator. They had no idea
s!-at Dr. Luys was going to use, Al
nolui when put TO the nape in tube
40 larger than a homeopathist's vial and
hofuieti1ally sealed produced exactly the
same effect as if imbibed at bar. Alb
sin.Ge, haschish, opium, morphine, beer
champagne, tea and coffee Wee in Sue
cession tried with their characteristic ef-
fects. But 1.-The cup which cheers but
not inobriates" was found too exciting
for French neuropaths. Valcrian caused
tire deepest sadness. The thoughts of the
patient We're centered in grave, She
was impelled irresislbly to stoop down
and scratch the ground, and thought her
self in cemetery eXhuning deceased
relative whom she loved. Under the IL
lusion she fancied herself picking up
bones belonging to this skeleton, which
she handled with tender reverence, and
when there was an imaginary mound of
them she placed, with dep drawn sighs
and tears and genufiections, a cross above
them. Under the influence of haschish
everything looked rosy and gayety pre-
vailed.
The subject was a young girl, very
fond of the drama. She fancied herself
on the stage and playing part which
suited her to perfection. 1t was i'll a
boutfe opera and she sang her score ad
mirably. The sentiments were expressed
with delicate feeling. DR. Luys can, ac-
cording to the substances he uses, run
through the whole gamut of human pas
sions and emotions.
What is most strange is that no trace
Of the fictitious world i'll which the
hypnotized subject has been wandering
remains when real consciousness is re-
stored. 1t is very rare for even the idea
of having been in dreamland to survive
the awakening from the hypnotic trance.
DIR. Iuys says that hypnotic suggestion
sometimes has periods Of incubation more
or less long. The subject is at first gently
drawn TO do certain thing or things,
and then the drawing becomes an irresis-
tibie impulse. They are first as if tempted
and then as if possessed, They can no
more help themselves than man who
had got to the verge OF Niagara Fails in a
boat could help going over.
| DR.. Roger moved that the academy
name a commission to inquire into hyp-
motto suggestion, near and at a distance.
DR.. Bronardel supported him. He said:
''All that Or, Iuys has alleged and shown
cannot fail to make noise throughout
the world. Nobody but MN. BWot and
Bouron have gone SO far as DR.. Luys.
He not only forces on the attention of the
academy the question of hypnotism, but
Of persons being affected by poisonous
substances which do not penetrate, OF it
may be even touch their bodies. This is
from a legal point of view a great danger.
A great social responsibility is involved
in the matter. 1t is the duty of the academy
TO have the experiments Of DR.. Luys re
peatod, with others that bear upon them. "
Paris Cor New York Tribune.